Random Encounter
by He Who Lurks in Shadow
Summary: While in Resembool to get his automail fixed, Ed and Al are sparring. However, when the Flame Alchemist turns up, the heat is on!
1. Fight!

**Fight!**

"Come on, Al, is that all you got?" Edward Elric shouted, slamming his foot into his younger brother's chest.

Alphonse Elric slid back a little, but quickly recovered. "Fine, I won't go easy on you," he replied, swinging his left fist at Ed.

Ed blocked the punch with his right arm and brought his left arm up, again knocking Al back. "Yeah, right. Like you could ever beat me anyway," he said, cocky as always.

"Oh, you mean like I have the last, say, _every_ fight we've had?" Al shot back, landing a punch on Ed.

Ed fell back against the grass. He jumped up quickly and swung his right arm at Al, who did the same. The punches connected and the sound of smashing metal echoed across the field. Edward seized that moment to shift his entire body weight to his left foot and spun around Alphonse. He hoisted Al up and hurled him forward. He was about to gloat when Ed realized exactly _where_ he had thrown Al; that is, toward the river. Quickly, Ed clapped his hands together and dropped to the ground. Alchemical sparks flew and an earthen wall shot out, breaking Al's fall.

"Nice save," a familiar voice said behind Ed.

Edward spun around. "Mustang," he growled.

The Colonel nodded. "The one and only."

"What are you doing here, sir?" Alphonse asked, walking up to them.

"Any more of that and I think I'll be making sure your brother doesn't kill you."

"He was perfectly fine!" Edward shouted.

"That little dirt bridge there was barely what I would call a half-hearted effort, runt," Mustang replied, turning around.

"**WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TINY LITTLE GRAIN OF SAND THAT NO ONE CAN SEE?**"Edward exclaimed.

Mustang laughed and started to walk away. "Maybe one day you'll gain a few inches. Then maybe people will see you when you knock on doors!"

"You'll pay for that one!" Edward shouted, shooting forward. He brought his right arm up, intending to smash open the back of the Colonel's head.

Mustang spun around and snapped his fingers. The resulting explosion right in front of Ed sent him flying back. Growling, Ed stood and charged again. Mustang yawned and snapped his fingers again. This time the explosion came from under Ed, making him fall forward on his face.

"You're letting your anger get the better of you," Mustang said. "You won't win any fights that way."

Ed stood up and clapped his hands. "Oh? Then I guess I'll play this _smart_!" He slammed his hands onto the ground. Instantly, several spikes shot up from the ground below Mustang. He, however, jumped back, avoiding each one. With another snap, the spikes burst into flames.

Edward slowly walked backwards. "Oh, so you're just avoiding things now, is that it?" he taunted. He stopped walking the moment he felt the cool water splash onto his leg. Silently bringing his hands together behind his back, he waited.

"Oh, no, I could go on the offensive. Like, say, now!" He snapped his fingers.

Edward dropped down, his hands colliding with the water. Sparks once again flew, and a large stream of water shot forward, enveloping the explosion and the two alchemists.

Edward laughed as he stood up. He could see the colonel slowly walking forward. "What now? You're out of firepower, if you'll pardon the pun!"

"You underestimate me, Fullmetal," the colonel replied. "Water doesn't stop me." Mustang started rubbing his hands together, as one would do in the middle of winter.

Edward clapped his hands together and placed them on one of the larger rocks by the river. The stone shifted and a small pole of it shot toward Mustang. He watched in surprise as it exploded into fiery fragments.

Mustang laughed. "It's called friction, Fullmetal!"

"I'll show you friction!" Ed shouted, rushing forward again.

"Edward Elric!" a voice shouted.

Ed froze. "W-Winry?"

He turned to watch Winry walking down toward him. "You're tearing up my back yard." The sun reflected off of the wrench that Ed had come to fear and despise. "You've only been home four days and you're already fighting. That automail hasn't even been done twenty-four hours and it's already dented and dirty!"

Ed slowly backed away. "It-it's not like that! I-I didn't mean to…" Giving up on words, he bolted. Winry quickly gave chase.

Mustang laughed. "Serves him right. And now he's running away from that girl. Priceless!"

"Sir," another female voice said.

Mustang froze. "Y-yes?"

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye walked toward Mustang. "What were you saying a moment ago?"

"N-nothing!" he stammered. "J-just thinking out loud, that's all."

"Good. Now come on, you have paperwork to do."

Mustang groaned. "You've got to be kidding!"

Riza glared at the Flame Alchemist.

Mustang instantly started walking."I was just having a little fun!" he said as they walked away.

Alphonse laughed as he watched the four of them go their separate ways. He heard the thud of metal on skull a bit ways and Ed shouting.

"Everything is back to normal. Well, as normal as it can be these days," he said to no one in particular as he walked back toward Winry's house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Come on, _sir_," Hawkeye said, emphasizing the last word.

Mustang sighed. He had managed to take this detour so that he could annoy Ed, but the end result wasn't exactly how he had pictured it. Now, he was in line for another of Riza's paperwork reminders. Those never ended like he wanted, either.

"Are you even paying attention to me?" she asked as they boarded the train back to Central.

Mustang instinctively nodded. "Yes, of course I am."

"You're sitting on the floor."

Mustang glanced down. So _that_ was why it was so uncomfortable! "I realize this," he answered, trying to make it look like he meant to sit there.

"So you sat on the floor… on purpose?" Hawkeye asked skeptically.

"Of course I did!"

"Then I guess you won't mind if I sit this bag in your seat," she replied, putting her bag on the seat where Mustang had intended to sit.

"No, not at all," he responded coolly, mentally wondering why in the world he was now stuck sitting on the floor.

The train ride continued on in silence. After a few minutes, Roy looked up from the floor.

"That shrimp still got what he deserved from that mechanic of his."

Riza sighed, causing Mustang to look back down at the floor. The rest of the trip continued this way in silence.

--

Once they arrived back at Central, Hawkeye all but chased Mustang back to his office, where she hovered behind him as he proceeded to start on a fresh batch of paperwork.

Havoc glanced over at Breda. "I knew state alchemists were dogs of the military, but I never thought it was literal."

Breda laughed, but stopped instantly when Mustang glared at him from across the room. _Mustang's glares seem to carry their own fire_, he thought.

----

"Hey, Winry! Take it easy, will ya?" Edward shouted, running for his life.

Winry, who was closing in fast, shouted back, "Not until you apologize for putting dents in my automail!"

"_Your_ automail? It's attached to _me_!"

"Not for long!"

Ed sighed and ran faster, doubling back to the Rockbell house. If Winry caught up to him, Ed had no doubt that she would dismantle his arm and leg in an instant. Of course, then she would rebuild it, but this would cost Ed and Al several days they did not have.

As Ed rocketed toward the Rockbell house, he saw Al. Veering closer to Al, he shouted, "Al, let's go!"

"Right!" Al shouted back, and ran toward Ed.

-

Winry slowed down a bit as Ed and Al ran toward each other. Suddenly, they smashed into each other! Winry was shocked to see Al still running, with no sign of Ed. She sighed, knowing that Al had grabbed Ed, and walked back home.

--

Ed yawned. He and Al had stopped at the river. It had become a place for them to just hang out together in the past few days.

"So, d'you she's calmed down enough to go back yet? I'm getting kinda tired."

Al looked up at the quickly sinking sun. "Probably. I figure she went home, ate something, then took a long bath. She probably finished about an hour ago or so."

"It's scary how well you know her," Ed commented, walking toward the house.

"You should know that much, brother," Al said. "You're the one who likes her, after all."

Ed almost fell over. "I do not!"

"Yes you do," Al replied. "Everyone else knows it, too."

Ed didn't say a word, nor did he say anything until he got back to the house.

--

Winry watched as Al walked in. He passed by her with a hello and went up the stairs. Ed quietly entered right after. Winry seriously contemplated chasing after him again for how he behaved earlier, but, for some unknown reason, he glanced over at her and smiled.

It wasn't his usual 'please-don't-hit-me' smile, nor was it his 'please-forgive-me' smile. Instead, it was one that Winry couldn't place at the moment. He wasn't acting like an idiot, but he wasn't totally serious, either. Honestly, he looked like he was seriously thinking about something, and that smile seemed to make her think it involved her.

That smile would bug her for the rest of the night.


End file.
